Putting like with like can be very challenging. Houses are meant to be lived in, so of course stuff is spread out all over the place. In the first like with like post, we discussed the benefits of corralling items together to be able to minimize them. It is helpful to look at clothing, books, DVDs, and other items as a group. That way you can ascertain what you have and what you need.

A second aspect of like with like has to do with rooms. For example, I had my stereo system in my kitchen for a few weeks last year. Does a stereo system belong in the kitchen? For some people, it does. If you have a stereo system in your kitchen, that is okay. For me, my stereo system belongs in my living room. So, with the stereo system in the kitchen, it was in the wrong place. Only kitchen items should be in the kitchen. The stereo was out of place. 

I currently have stuff all over my house because of the harassment from the neighbors. I have taken almost all my belongings, regardless of which room they should technically be in, and piled them against one wall to try to block noise. (Pro tip: this doesn’t work at all against concert level noise). I have had to empty an entire room after they drove into the front of the house and caused damage to my front doors. 

While I may have all the CDs together, books together, clothing together, etc, stuff is not necessarily in the right room. 

The bedroom is a prime example. The bedroom should be a tranquil sanctuary for sleep. It is hard to get a good night’s sleep if you are surrounded by clutter and things that do not need to be in the bedroom. If an item does not belong in your bedroom, it should leave. Every item needs a place. Items should not be stuck wherever they fit. Items should be in the appropriate room.

If you have too many items to fit into your living room, then that is a clue that things need to be minimized. If items cannot fit in the space available, do you really need all those items or do some need to leave?

Every item should be in the appropriate room. Would you put your blender in your bedroom? Of course not. Blenders belong in the kitchen. It’s a wild example, but you get the point. Bedrooms especially should be places of calm. A living room is naturally going to contain more items than a bedroom. Bedrooms are for rest. Living rooms are just that – for living and doing fun family activities. 

For my next minimalist challenge, I will be focusing on making sure that items are in the correct room. Piling everything against one wall does not work to block excessive noise coming from the neighbors. Since that does not work, I can take my household items and either move them into the rooms where they belong or get rid of what I don’t need. 

Making sure that items are in the correct room is helpful for organization and for minimizing. It helps you to see what you have, what you need, and what fits in your space.